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AICC observers hopeful of solving crisis

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI SEPT. 20. The AICC general secretary, Ahmed Patel, today exuded confidence that the organisational issues in the Congress would be solved by tomorrow.

``I expect some positive developments tomorrow,'' Mr. Patil said after the nearly two-hour discussion for mollifying the veteran Congress leader, K. Karunakaran, in his Kochi residence.

``We had a good discussion with the leader and I am meeting him tomorrow,'' Mr. Patel said. However, sources close to Mr. Karunakaran maintained that he was firm in his earlier stand on the organisational issues.

He also reportedly told the AICC observers that he was neither for breaking the party nor for helping the UDF candidate win. He was reportedly of the view that all outstanding issues should be discussed after the by-election.

Mr. Patel, while refusing to divulge the details of the discussions, said that they discussed the strategies for the September 23 by-election.

The AICC observers, G. K. Vasan and Veerappa Moily, also took part in the discussion. After the first round of discussion, Mr. Moily held a second round of discussion with Mr. Karunakaran.

Later talking to The Hindu, Mr. Moily said the ``ice had melted''. He said that he was confident that a positive decision would evolve tomorrow.

``Though Mr. Karunakaran has not campaigned in the election, a word from him will be enough. It is not true that a large number of Congress workers campaigned for the LDF. A small section campaigned on their own and Mr. Karunakaran has not instructed them to do so,'' said Mr. Moily.

He said that all the AICC representatives were happy about the outcome of today's discussion. Mr. Moily had earlier met the KPCC president, K. Muraleedharan.

Mr. Muraleedharan told media persons that the reported disenchantment of the Muslim voters with the UDF and other issues were brought to the notice of the AICC observers.

Earlier, Mr. Patel, after meeting the Chief Minister, A. K. Antony, said that he was confident that the UDF would win the election. On the reported incidents of the Congress workers campaigning for the LDF candidate, Mr. Patel said that he would seek reports from the party observers who were camping in the seven Assembly constituencies.

He had also held discussions with the UDF Ministers over telephone.

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